Tamping mechanism



G. W. PRITGHETT.

TAMPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 2s, 190s.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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GEORGE W. PRITCHETT, 0F GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

TAMPING MECHANISM Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 23, )1910.

Application filed October 26, 1908. Serial No. 459,563.`

'lo au whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PRITCHETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and tain new and useful Improvements in Tav ping Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for tamping roads, iills, and the material employed to refill ditches in roads, and for similar purposes.

One of its objects is to provide simple and eiiicient power actuated tamping mechanism.

Another object is to provide a portable and self-propelled power actuated tamping mechanism with means for guiding the Another object is to provide tampingmechanism adapted to operate upon ditchesv and other uneven surfaces.

Another object is to provide means for throwing part of the tamping mechanism out of operation as required.

It further consists in certain details of form, combination and arrangement, all of which will be more fully set forth in the description of the' accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of my improved tamping mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the same, partly in section on line la-fv of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the upright frame. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the tamping bars detached.

in the accompanying drawings A represents a vehicle frame having a forward axle a carrying a fifth wheel A of ordinary construction upon which the forward end of the frame A is supported. The rear end of frame A is supported upon a rear axle 'al which is journaled in bearings carried by the frame. Wheels o2 are journaled upon the ends of the forward axleand wheels a. are rigidly secured upon the ends'of rear axle a1. A steering handle B connected by a lever mechanism 7) b with the forward axle serves to vary the angular adjustment of said axle to steer the vehicle in any desired direction.

C represents a vertical frame carried at the forward end of frame A.

D 'reprsen ts fl series of tamping bars pO- l vided at their lower ends with tamping shoes (l. r'lhe bars D are preferably of rectangular cross section, and are slidably mounted in bearings o c of vertical frame C. The shoes d are preferably detachably connected to the bars D in order that shoes of different Weight and Various" shape may be substiuted one for anotherA as desired. '4 y E represents a motor which may be a gas or steam engine or electric motor,lor may be operated by hand mounted upon frame A if desired. A shaft'F'journaledv to frame A is driven, preferably by belt G from a pulf ley ff on the motor shaft.

H represents a shaft journaled to frame A and receivingmotion yfrom shaft F by means of gears g It mounted respectively on shafts F H. Shaft H carries a series of eccentrics I to which are attached va seriesof pawls or bars K by means of eccentric straps 7c. The free ends of bars K rest'fupon, spools Z carried by across bar L attached to vertical frame C. The free ends of bars K inl their lower position automatically engage teeth d1 formed in the upper portion of bars D and serve to-liftsaid bars, being automatically disengaged 4from said teeth when bars D are in the elevated position by reason of the supporting spools Z and the action of the eccentrics. The eccentricsIy are preferably arranged uponshaft H so as to lift the bars D successively instead of conjointly. Pawls M serve to lock any one of bars D in the raised position when not required in use, the free end of its corresponding bar K then reciprocating over' the smooth lower portion of bar D Without lifting the bar D. Thus by throwingr one or more of the tamping bars out of use the treadof thetamping bars in use may be suited to the width of the ditch or surface to be treated, and' readily` varied'as required.

The vehicle is self propelled by means of a crankarm N journaled upon the rear axle a1 and reciprocated by means of an eccentric rod m1 attached to crank arm N by a pin m2 and actuated by an eccentric h1 on the shaft H, to which rod 'm1 is attached by means of an eccentric strap m3.

N vrepresents a ratchetv wheel rigid on the rear axle which wheel is engaged by a pawl a to rotate the rear axle and slowly propel ythe vehicle. The pawl n may be thrown to either side of arm N so as to drive the vehicle in either direction.

The length of arms D is such as to perordinary street excavations, -and said bars vautomatically adjust themselves to rises and falls in the surfaces theyl are treating; In

ytamping the material into street excavations the vehicle spans the ditch lengthwise with the vehicle wheels on the street surface atl opposite sides of theditch while the tamping bars and shoes reciprocate to tamp the loose material into the ditch, the operator guiding the vehicle alongthe street spanning the ditch. It' desired shaft F may be dispensed with and powerV transmitted directly from thel motor to shaft H.

The taniping mechanism herein illustrated andv described may also be advantageously'operated by hand power in place of the motor E, by applying one or more hand cranks toeither shaft F or shaft H, where motor power is not readily available.

The mechanism herein shown and des'cribed is capable of considerable modification without departing from the principle of'my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is.

-1. In a mechanism of the character described, a vehicle, a tamping bar slidably rmounted in substantially vertical bearings and provided with a series of teeth, a shaft journaled to said vehicle and adapted to be rotated, an eccentric on said shaft, a pawl, an eccentric strap carried by said pawl, said pawl being reciprocated by the movements of said eccentric, the opposite end of said pawl engaging the teeth of said tamping bar through part of each revolution of said shaft, and a rest to support thefree end of said pawl and to serve to automatically disengage said pawl from the teeth of the tamping bar at the limit of the upward movement of said pawl.

2. In a mechanism of the characterv de scribed, a vehicle carrying a`motor, a tampingv b'r slidably mounted in substantially verticalbearings and provided with a series of teeth, a shaft driven by said motor journaled in bearings carried by said vehicle, and carrying an eccentric, a pawl, an eccentric strap carried by said pawl and en gaging said eccentric, a stationary support 'carried by said vehicle to support the free scribed, a vehicle carrying a motor, a tamping bar slidably mounted in substantially vertical bearings and provided with a series of teeth, a revolving shaft journaled to said vehicle and driven by said motor, an eccentric on said shaft, a pawl, an eccentric scrap carried by said pawl and engaging' said eccentric, a support for the 'forward end of the pawi, whereby the movements oit' said pawl automatically engage and disengage said teeth.

4f. In a mechanism of the character indicated, a vehicle carrying a motor, a4 tamping bar slidably mounted in substantially vertical bearingsand provided with a series of teeth, a shaft driven -bygsaidmniotor journaled in bearings carried by said vehicle, an eccentric carried by said shaft, a pawl, an eccentric strap carried by nsaid pawl and engaging said eccentric, a stationary support carried by said vehicle and supporting said pawl near itswree end, the tree end of said pawl being adaptedjo engage the teeth of said tam ingqrzr'during a part fof each revolution ot said eccentric, and to be automatically disengaged from said teeth by the movements of said pawl relative to said support, a ratchet wheel carried by the driving axle of said vehicle, a rocking bai' pivotally attached to the driving axle ot said vehicle, a tiaivl carried by said rocking bar and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel,` a connecting rod pivotaliy and detachably connected at one end to said rockn ing bar, and an eccentric on said motor driven shaft to which the opposite end of said connecting rod is connected to reciprocate said rod.

5. In ya mechanism oi the -character described, a vehicle, a shaft journaled .in bearings carrie'd by said vehicle, adapted to be rotated, and provided with a series of eccentrics set to act at diiierent periods or' the revolution of Said shaft, a series of -tamping bars slidablymounted in a row side by side` in substantially vertical'hearings, and each provided Vith a series of teeth, a series of pawls, eccentric-straps carried by said pawls to engage the eccentrics carried by said shaft, rigid supl orts near the free endsfof said pawls, the ree ends of said priv/ls being' adapted toengage the teeth oie said respective bars through part oi'. the revolution of said eccentrics, and to be automatically disengaged from teeth by the movements or' said respective pawls relative to said eupports at substantial-ly the limit of the upward strokes of said res lective parvis.

In testimony whereof l have atiixed my signature in presence of two iii/illnesses GEORGE W'. PR'CHETT. l/Vitnesses THOMAS S. Brian-L, C. W. Minas. 

